


New Mission

by Team_Cap



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: F/M, NeShiki, NekuShiki, One Shot, StalkerPhones, beat is that lovable idiot, i love and hate that piece of sh---oh wait this is a neshiki fic, i still wanna punch joshua's face though, uhhh yeah it's fun writing this :D
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28125813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Team_Cap/pseuds/Team_Cap
Summary: It may seem out of character to some, but Neku knew he had to show Shiki how thankful he is for putting up with him during the first week of the Reaper's Game.
Relationships: Misaki Shiki/Sakuraba Neku
Comments: 9
Kudos: 31





	New Mission

**Author's Note:**

> HUGE THANK YOU to Kazea for beta reading this! I only asked her to check Beat's speech patterns/dialogues since I find them difficult to perfect or even to write properly sdghfdk but thank you so much again, friend! This is my first time writing Neshiki but this sis dedicated to all Neshiki shippers ovo
> 
> Yeah, the rating is for all ages. The "worst" words here are just "hell" and "ass" so...I guess it's not that bad? :'D

* * *

Neku wasn't really the type to show people how thankful he was; hell, he could barely tell his own friends how much he'd come to appreciate them. So, in conclusion, he shouldn't even be considering giving something 'special' to Shiki.

Still, here he was contemplating it in the middle of walking around Shibuya. Sure, the entire Reaper's Game shenanigans had changed him, but there was a saying called 'old habits die hard'.

Alright, he really didn't feel like flaunting his feelings half the time. He even remembered one instance when Joshua referred to him as a 'tsundere'. 'Tsundere' his ass! He wasn't like that, right?

His eyes averted around the buildings of Scramble Crossing. He smiled a little but hid it behind his overly large turtleneck.

Despite his change, this city remained the same. He wasn't complaining, but his world changed a lot in those certain weeks. His eyes went back on the road, as he headed home.

Well, he could at least try to do something for Shiki. It was the least he could do.

* * *

**The Next Day**

**Spain Hill**

**Mexican Hotdog**

"'Sup, Phones!" Beat beamed with a wave. He waited for his friend to sit with them whilst Rhyme gave the older boy a smile. "Whatchu doin' here?"

"Yo, Beat," Neku greeted, in a much less enthusiastic voice, but Beat knew his friend was happy to see him. "Hi, Rhyme."

"Hi!" Rhyme chirped with another precious smile.

Neku breathed, his eyes darting away from his friends. His arm later moved on its own and went to the back of his head. It was one of those unconscious mannerisms that Neku fell back on often, and—after knowing him for a month—the Bito siblings knew what that gesture meant.

"Aight, Neku," Beat grinned. "what's in yo' mind?"

Neku found himself grunting. He dropped the act and hid his face once again in his collar. "You got me," he muttered and Beat couldn't help but laugh. The edgy boy swore he could glare at his friend if he was in the mood.

"What is it, Neku?" the youngest kid asked and Neku was thankful Rhyme was too nice, unlike her brother who can be idiotic at times.

"I'm..." he started, still hesitating. He could count on his friends, right? "I need your opinion..." he let it out, little by little. "What should I give to Shiki as a gift?"

"Ain't this a 'dem romance cooties couples doin'?"

Neku blinked. Was it necessary for Beat to mention that?

Rhyme giggled at her brother's antics. "I'm sure it's just a 'thank you' gift, right?"

The former player bobbed his head. "Yeah," he admitted. "Got any ideas?"

"Treat her some place fancy, yo!" Beat recommended with a determined grin. "She'd love that!"

For once, Beat had a point; that would make Shiki feel special and make her feel less insecure. While she had learned to accept herself during the Game, she sometimes still had moments of doubt, especially in regards to her own abilities.

"I agree," Rhyme acknowledged with a nod. "It is the thought that counts."

Neku thought the ideas were...pretty decent. He opened his mouth to release a breath, still thinking the ideas could need a bit of a...kick, per se. "Anything materialistic?" he question, low-key insisting on something else. "Maybe something she'll remember?"

"Uhh, buy Mr. New some clothes?"

"It's Mr. _Mew_ , Beat," the blonde corrected her older brother. "But you are onto something there," She placed her hand on her chin. "Shiki likes to sew, right?"

The orange-haired boy nodded slowly.

"Maybe you can buy her some sewing items? It's simple, but it's the thought that counts!"

Neku was beyond relieved that Rhyme was with them. He would probably be here all day otherwise rejecting her brother's far-out ideas from here on there. But, Rhyme definitely suggested a good present. "Thanks," he uttered gently, placing a soft hand on the girl's head. "I'll consider that," he added with a smile.

"Aight, it's settled!" the older blond pumped his fist in the air. "Yo' free next Sunday, Neku?"

Neku found himself chuckling. It was still difficult to grasp that he had friends now, and having something to do on some Sundays with them was something he was both thankful and surprised for. "Yeah."

* * *

Neku had taken so well with Rhyme's idea that he decided to head straight to Molco to buy that gift. He felt so energetic that he didn't mind nor care if he was walking faster than everyone else. He did stop, however, when he received a text message.

His inquisitive expression dissipated when he read it.

**From Joshua:** _I heard you're looking for a gift for someone. Someone_ _ **special**_ _, I presume? Hehe~_

He immediately shoved his phone back in his pocket and continued trudging his way to Molco.

Neku had no idea how Joshua found out, but he guessed that was his advantage as the Composer. That guy had to give him a hard time _all_ the time.

The teenager's shoulders drooped when he entered a shop. He didn't know why he was suddenly offended when Joshua texted him; he wasn't like this when he was still pissing him off after those weeks. In fact, the lad had learned how to deal with Josh's bullcrap. It was...odd that he reacted the way he did during his second week of the Reaper's Game.

It wasn't that he liked Shiki that way, right? He found himself shaking his head. He bit his lip and hid his face in his collar once again. He...liked Shiki the way she is, and...he would be lying if he said he didn't think she was adorable.

He clenched his fists. _I hate you, Josh._

He despised the fact that Josh made him realize this of all people. He had gotten closer to Shiki since they got their lives back and it would be a pain in the ass if he kept on denying it even further.

_Dammit, stop,_ he thought, before looking around. He should focus on buying a gift for Shiki first.

But what did she need? He did get a good view of her sewing kit the last time she fixed another loose button on his shirt (thankfully), but he never really had an idea if she was missing a piece. He should've stayed a bit and asked Rhyme for more details.

Or, maybe even Eri. He did meet Eri a few days ago and while it was weird that he already knew what she looked like, she was still somewhat forgiving and wasn't creeped out at all. However, he couldn't ask her since Eri would probably tell Shiki about it and...he wasn't certain if she was aware that he had those certain feelings for her best friend.

He decided to just not ask Eri and send Rhyme a text message about it instead. He dropped his phone back in his pocket and stood upright. As he strolled through the different stores, he was hoping something could give him an idea of what Shiki needed.

He stopped when he noticed familiar clothing in front of a certain store and couldn't help but smile. The bright colors of the clothes in the shop were definitely nostalgic for him, even if it'd been only a month.

He raised his head to see the store's name and, without a doubt, it was definitely the 'Mus Rattus' retail outlet from weeks ago. He remembered telling Shiki what happened in the second week, and while it annoyed him that he had to mention some of the mortifying moments he'd experience with Joshua, he appreciated Shiki's kind words.

He went inside the store and saw something peculiar. He approached it for investigation purposes, but a lady interrupted him.

"Hi!" the owner, Mie Suzuki, greeted with a smile. "Oh! It's you again! Care to try our new offer?"

Neku still had no idea how the lady managed to remember him. He only bought a couple of pins in her store and some outfits for that stupid Reaper to clear the wall for them. He raised an eyebrow. "What's the new offer?"

"We just started this one," she went to the counter and patted the desk. "If the item you bought is damaged, our seamstress can fix it for free as long as it follows our store's terms and conditions."

"I see," Neku mumbled. He decided to make a mental note and share this with Shiki the next time he saw her. "By the way, is that a sewing machine?"

"Hmm?" Mie's eyes widened but followed the boy's finger. She smiled. "Ah, it's a miniature sewing kit. Our seamstress found it cute so she uses it to fix some of our clothes."

"Where can I get one?"

"I'm not sure, sorry," she apologized whilst rubbing her finger on her left cheek. "You can check out the other stores in the mall if you want. They should sell one in the local department store."

"Thanks," Neku nodded and exited the store, leaving the owner to wonder what was that about.

He rushed to the department store, hoping he could find a miniature sewing kit. Now that he thought about it, he should've taken a photo of it. Too late now, though.

After several minutes of scouring every nook and cranny of the department store, he managed to find one. He took a deep breath and looked around, hoping to find a salesperson to assist and answer his questions.

"Dammit," he cursed. He was certainly insane for doing this, let alone looking like a desperate shopper finding a Christmas present for his loved one. He felt his phone vibrate once again and picked it up, hoping it was Rhyme's reply.

But it wasn't. It was another one of Josh's annoying messages.

**From Joshua:** _Wow, I'm impressed! People sure do crazy things when they're in love. Hehe~_

Neku couldn't see his own face, but he could tell his cheeks had gotten a tad warmer. One thing was certain. If he could beat his ass right now, he would. _Sorry, Shiki, but Josh is just too annoying right now._

"May I help you?" the salesman uttered, snapping the boy out of his trance.

The spiky-haired blinked. "Uhh, yeah," he replied hastily. "I was wondering how much this is?"

"The mini sewing machine?" He gestured at the contraption whilst the teenager gave him an obvious look. "Oh, it's around 8500 yen!"

Neku took a step back. His eyes slowly widened in shock and his jaw dropped. Why the hell was this expensive?

The salesman could tell the teenager was surprised with the price and he couldn't blame him. Although, it was his job to convince interested customers like this to buy such items. "It's a portable sewing machine that is easy to use," he started with a grin. "It comes with a button foot presser, 4 thread bobbins, 4 needles, a foot pedal, a metal, a thread cutter, an AC power adapter, and a manual. This small machine is good for beginners and advanced users. It's worth your money!"

Neku didn't know how to react. He...only asked for the price; he didn't expect this man would be this enthusiastic to sell such an item with him. Nonetheless, he wasn't sure if he had enough money for this. He could ask his parents to lend him some, but he didn't want to take such risks.

He sighed. "How long will that item be here?"

"I'm not sure, sir," the man responded with a frown. "It's best to buy one for now since this item is 20% off, so instead of paying for 8500, you can pay it for around 6300 yen! Our sale lasts for 3 days, however."

Neku gave the salesman an odd look with a raised eyebrow. It was still expensive as hell despite the sale, but he had to buy this for Shiki. "I'll...think about it."

The boy turned around and left with disappointment shrouding his aura.

He hated the fact that the price was stopping him from purchasing it! He found a gift that he knew Shiki might like but yet...it had to cost an arm and a leg! How could he make 6300 yen in a few days? He had to find an alternative.

* * *

Neku went to every store in Shibuya, but he couldn't find anything he could afford. While some of the mini sewing machines he found were 'cheap', he still couldn't afford them—none was on sale except the one at the first store he'd visited, either.

He opted to call it a day and went home since tomorrow was a Monday, which meant school. Still, he was quite bummed that he wasn't able to buy anything. He could try saving some of his school savings, but he doubted he could save enough money before that sale ends. He looked down, hands dug in his pockets as his pace began to get sluggish.

He really needed to get something for Shiki before the end of the week.

* * *

Neku hated that he was at the same place as yesterday.

Once Neku and Shiki found out that the schools they were attending were remotely close, they opted to walk home together with Eri. Eri's house was closer than theirs, so they were often left alone after several minutes.

For the most part, Shiki and Eri would usually do the talking while Neku just listened. He didn't mind keeping quiet since he liked listening to Shiki. Eri did always put her best effort into talking to him, too but he still needed to get used to it.

The teenager scrutinized the price tag, hoping some sort of miracle would lessen the price. Unfortunately, it was still the same. He dropped his head, straightening his posture for a bit.

Could Joshua use his Composer powers and make this item affordable? It'd probably be the only time they'd actually be useful in any given scenario involving him.

"Yo, 'it's Phones!"

Neku's eyes widened and took a step back. He turned around and was shocked to see his friends Beat and Rhyme greeting him with a smile.

"Uhh," He didn't know what they were doing here and he was still speechless that they'd managed to bump into each other when Shibuya had about a million other stores to visit. "Hey, I guess."

"Whatchu doin' here?" the muscular blond asked. "Didn't know you was into stuff like this."

He released an exasperated breath. "I'm not," he corrected. "It's for Shiki."

Beat was confused. He scanned the prize before flinching and gesticulating his arms around. "Yo!" he exclaimed, his eyes went round like a ball. "Ain't that expensive?"

Rhyme couldn't help but giggle at her brother's reaction whilst Neku dug one hand in his pocket and sighed. His stoic expression remained, however. "Yes."

"You buyin' dat?" Beat questioned.

"Do you have enough money with you?" the younger Bito sibling asked.

Neku hid his face in his neckband. He averted his eyes from the siblings. "Not really," He really hated saying it, but there was no point in lying. "What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"Wid our rents, man!" Beat responded with a smile.

"Neku," Rhyme asked with a tilted head. The aforementioned teenager looked at the younger girl. "Have you asked your parents to lend you some money?"

He knew she'd ask that kind of question, but he really didn't want to talk about it. He threw his head back and rubbed the back of it with his right hand. "No."

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna," he reasoned and he was hoping they wouldn't ask any further questions.

"Come on, Phones!" Beat patted his back, but it felt like a smack to Neku. The latter body reacted agitatedly with widened eyes. "Just tell 'em it's for your gf!"

"What the?!" Neku backed off, giving Beat a baffled expression. Why was he still insisting that Shiki was his girlfriend? "Shiki isn't—dude, what are you talking about?"

"Ain't she, tho?" Beat cackled and Neku had a feeling that Beat was doing this on purpose. His friend may be an idiot, but he wasn't _that_ kind of an idiot.

"Dude, quit it," Neku denied. "It's a 'thank you' gift. Don't you do that to your sister sometimes?"

"Yeah, but Shiki ain't yo' sister, aight?"

Neku felt like facepalming. Forget what he said earlier. "Quit it, Beat! It's—"

"Of course, ma'am!" the same salesman from yesterday uttered enthusiastically. "You're lucky the sale ends in 2 days. I can take you to the cashier if you want."

"What?!" Neku whirled around and was surprised to see the item he'd been keeping an eye get stuffed away into a bag far quicker than he could even blink. His jaw went slack with his arms wide open as he watched the customer and the salesman casually strolled away from them.

His thoughts were disoriented. He could barely comprehend what just happened. How come he didn't notice them? When did that person even arrive? How long had he been talking to the Bito siblings?

Neku was so busy dawdling with his vexation and bewilderment that he didn't notice that his friends were just as stunned as he was.

Rhyme tried to shake it off, but her brother still remained astonished like Neku. "I'm so sorry, Neku..."

Neku was finally able to grasp reality and dropped his arms. "It's fine..."

"Maybe..." the girl bit her lip, hoping she could at least give him another decent idea. "Maybe you can take Shiki to the movies?" she recommended. "Maybe she'll like it more! I..." she breathed. "I'm sure she doesn't want you to spend that much money on her!"

Beat managed to read the mood and composed himself. He went back to his cheerful self, hoping he could ease his friend's worry. "Rhyme's right, Neku!" he encouraged. "She's makin' some sync!"

The younger girl placed a hand on her mouth to suppress a giggle. "I think you mean 'making some sense', Beat!"

"Yeah!" Beat nodded. "Makin' some zinc!"

Neku couldn't help but feel thankful that his friends were there to cheer him up, but he still felt bad that he let the perfect gift slip away despite it costing a fortune. He went back to digging his hands in his pockets and gave them a small smile. "Thanks, guys," he said softly. "I should head home," his voice lowered, indicating his disappointment. "See you again on Sunday."

He slowly stepped out and as Beat tried to stop him, his sister placed a hand on his arm. She shook her head, as though silently telling him that Neku needed some time alone. The blond looked at his sister then at his friend, before giving in.

"Aight," he commented.

* * *

Neku wasn't really in the mood to talk with anyone, but once he went inside his house, he heard his mom's voice from the kitchen. He assumed she was talking to a friend, but when he heard a familiar voice, he rushed to the kitchen.

He was speechless.

"N-Neku!" Shiki almost choked and placed her cup of tea on the coaster. "H-Hi!"

Neku still couldn't utter a word. He had no idea why Shiki was here, but he had a clue. And...why did his mom just _casually_ let her in? He'd told them he'd made some new friends but he hadn't been specific about Shiki to either of his parents.

"Neku!" his mother greeted. "Shiki came here since she's worried. So she's the girl you're walking home with after school, hmm?"

"Uhh," his eyes moved around the kitchen, avoiding both his mom's gaze and Shiki's. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I need to talk to Shiki..." he muttered, fiddling with one of his strands of spiky hair.

"That's okay!" she giggled. "I need to go to buy some groceries anyway," She grabbed her purse, checked its contents, then went to the main door. She left the two without a word and Neku had a feeling his mother did it on purpose.

The spiky-haired sighed and dropped his head, trying to keep his cool. "Let's head to my room."

"Uhh," Shiki watched him grab her hand then look at her unfinished tea. "B-But I need to finish—"

"You can finish it later," he interrupted, his eyes still avoiding her. "I can see it steaming from here."

Shiki glanced back at the cup of tea once again. He did have a point. "Okay..."

**...**

**...**

They were silent after leaving the kitchen. Neku found it awkward; they'd become comfortable with each other ever since they got their lives back and even if Shiki looked different when he first met her, their interactions were normal, as if they'd known each other for years.

But this silence? It was awkward as hell. How should he even begin? He...probably should apologize first or explain himself. She might've come over to check on him. "Listen," he started and finally made eye contact behind the thin frames of her round glasses.

His intuition was right; she was worried about him.

"It's...not your fault, Shiki," he tried to explain as slowly as possible. "I'm not sick and I'm not avoiding you."

He could tell she understood him just by looking into her eyes, but the perturbing images in them were still there. He approached her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Physical comfort like this would work, right?

"I just...don't wanna ruin the surprise," he explained. "Silly Stalker."

Shiki withdrew a bit, though not enough to knock his grip off her. She raised her arms, waving them all over the place. "W-What?!"

He expected that reaction and frankly, he found it cute. He tried hiding his smile under his gorget.

"S-Surprise?!" the brunette continued, still positively overwhelmed that Neku would even consider such a thing. "Neku! It's not my birthday yet, I—"

"I know," Neku removed his hand from her shoulder, much to Shiki's dismay. "but since I know I treated you horribly during the Game," He bit his lip. He could do this. He could explain it to her. "and...you should've been in the RG once it's over. I should at least...give you a thank you gift."

He adjusted his gorget even though there wasn't a reason to. He didn't get why saying this stuff made his cheeks burn, but...he knew he told her the truth.

"Neku..." Shiki muttered, placing a hand on her chest. She couldn't help but smile, yet at the same time, she felt like he didn't need to go that far. "You don't have to. I-I mean," she coughed to gather her voice. "There's no need! I don't need anything!" she reassured despite her blushing cheeks.

Neku thought she looked adorable but opted to keep it to himself. His eyes wandered off from hers. "You could use that mini sewing kit I found at the mall, though."

The brunette's mouth hung open and she was beyond dumbfounded at the revelation. "Neku!" she stood up from the bed. She moved closer to him, unaware that her face was too close to his. "That's expensive! You don't have to buy it for me!"

"I could try," he answered, still not looking directly at her. "You could use it to fix that pig."

Shiki found herself giggling. "He's a cat!" she defended, making Neku smile. "Besides, I've been busy with homework which is why I haven't patched him up yet. But..." she smiled, lowering her head. "really, you didn't need to. I mean...I want one, but I could use my own money to afford it."

Despite knowing her for only a month, Neku was amazed that he'd managed to figure out she needed that device. Still, he could try purchasing it next time if she wanted. "You sure?"

Shiki raised her head and gave him another smile. "Of course!"

Neku's own smile didn't waver. He was glad he was able to tell her his intentions without causing a misunderstanding between them. Nonetheless, he felt bad that he didn't give her anything and he should have, especially now that he had a chance.

Gathering up his courage, he moved closer and so far, Shiki didn't seem to notice it. He gulped and swiftly wrapped his arms around her.

He had never embraced Shiki before but...it felt nice.

Shiki appreciated the hug, but she was taken aback when she felt his lips on her forehead. She didn't know how to react or what to say, other than feeling dizzy and flustered yet light and happy at the same time.

Did he just...kiss her?

* * *

**Bonus:**

* * *

**Later that night**

**10:00 PM**

Despite what happened earlier, Neku didn't regret kissing Shiki. His approach might've not been the most 'romantic' way and Eri would probably eventually find out, it still felt...good. He should've still felt like crap for not being able to give her something she actually needed as a thank you gift, but he somehow had a feeling that a kiss on her forehead was enough.

It was an odd sensation, but he thought it wasn't bad.

Neku heard his phone ding, telling him that he received a message. He opened it and he couldn't help but let a vein pop in his forehead.

**From Joshua:** _Just the forehead? If you could see me right now, I'd be shaking my head. I was expecting more. Maybe giving her a kiss on the lips next time, Neku?_

Neku was beyond frustrated at this message. He could easily block Joshua's number, but somehow that annoying kid would always find a way to text him anyway and irk the hell out of him. He should really ask his friends if they were also suffering similar torment. It wasn't just him, right?

He placed his phone back on the nightstand, his eyes tracing absent trails across his blank ceiling.

Well, he at least hoped Shiki wasn't experiencing it. He would definitely give Josh a piece of his mind if he tried messing up with her.

**Author's Note:**

> The tone of this fic was heavily based/referenced from Kazea and Aya's RP Snippets! You guys probably know their blog as "The World Begins With You". The characterizations in this fic were both based on the games and heavily influenced by their snippets. Please, check their work! It's so good, tbh!
> 
> [ Kazea's twitter account](https://twitter.com/WindyKazea)
> 
> [ Aya's twitter account](https://twitter.com/AyaAya_Papaya)
> 
> [ The World Begins With You blog](https://ask-theworldbeginswithyou.tumblr.com/pastasks)
> 
> About the sewing kit, I have to view different brands on amazon just for that. My FBI agent is confused why I have so many tabs opened just for that XD


End file.
